Saturday, May 30, 2009

Control Issues

When you are the stay at home parent the house is your domain. I take a lot of pride on my "job" as stay-at-home Mum & I definately have my own way of doing things. But in the last couple of months I've had to learn to let go & let myself be helped. Something I'm not that great at.

After Harper was born the hardest part for me was recovering while Luke looked after the big 2 & did all the cooking & housework. Sounds like bliss right? I was almost turning myself inside out watching him. Did he get everything done? Yes. Did the house run while he was at the helm? Absolutely. Was he doing things my way? NO NO NO! But just because things aren't done my way doesn't make them wrong-just hard to watch.

The irony is when we moved in together he used to tell me that I was doing things "wrong" & it was me arguing that there was more than one way to skin a cat. But now it's me that thinks all other ways are wrong-but I'm trying to get over it.

Friends are always told "don't worry I'll clean up" & in reality it's more control over being a nice host. I usually clean up after my kids for similar reasons-buy that's not good for them really.

I got thinking about all this yesterday. Lovely Kate & her kids came & minded my big 2 for a few hours. Kate asked the kids to clean up & they did. Was everything away? Yes. Was it a huge help to me not to have to pack up? Absolutely. But was everything where I normally put it? No.

And do you know what? It didn't matter. The bedroom was clean & when the girls got up this morning they found what they were looking for.

......and then I found out Lovely Kate had folded my washing. Was it the same as how I fold things? No. Was I going to refold it? Are you crazy? I was too busy doing a happy dance that it was done! Folding the washing twice should be illegal-that is one area I can quite happily give up control.

3 comments:

ROFL.. I have to confess that I did wonder as I folded if I might not have been doing it 'right' LOL... cause I totally get where you are coming from!But I figured with velcro babe and a little less help than usual over this weekend you might be able to deal with wrongly folded washing! Glad I could help you deal with your OCD just a little!